Xerox Corporation

Jonathan Byron Hunter

David Mark Kerxhalli

David R Kretschmann

Andrew James Bonacci

David Allen Mantell

James J Spence

David Clark Craig

Douglas E Proctor

Ronald W Bogert

Linn C Hoover

George Amos Gibson

Ali Rafic Dergham

Mark A Atwood

Mark A Adiletta

Andrew Charles LaRocca

Armando J Rivera

Stuart Alan Schweid

Robert Paul Herloski

Michael John Martin

David A VanKouwenberg

Jeffrey John Bradway

Frank Berkelys Tamarez Gomez

Francisco Zirilli

Joseph M Ferrara, Jr

Brian Robert Conrow

Norman David Robinson, Jr

Yuanjia Zhang

John H Steele

Nicholas Harrison Hainline

Theodore Gram

Keith M Wasula

Andrew J Bonacci

A printing system comprises printheads to eject ink to a deposition region. Print media are held by vacuum suction against a movable support surface, which moves over a vacuum platen. The vacuum platen comprises platen holes through which the vacuum suction is communicated. An airflow control system comprises airflow zones, each comprising a group of the platen holes, a duct, and a valve, the duct and the valve being arranged to selectively control vacuum suction through the group of the platen holes. For each of the printheads, at least one of the airflow zones is located under the respective printhead. Thus, airflow through platen holes under the printheads can be selectively controlled by selectively controlling the vacuum suction in the airflow zones.

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling airflow through vacuum platen of printing systems via airflow zones

A three-dimensional object printer generates image data of an object being formed in the printer with an optical sensor and identifies the heights of object features above a substrate on which the object is being formed. A controller operates one or more actuators to move the optical sensor at a plurality of distances above the object to generate image data of the object at a plurality of heights above the object. The controller identifies the distances of the features of the object with reference to the image data generated by the optical sensor and the focal length of the optical sensor.

Method for using optical sensor focus to identify feature heights on objects being produced in a three-dimensional object printer

A method of spatially and spectrally calibrating a spectrophotometer including: a) emitting a white light illumination output from a full width illumination source; b) illuminating a test patch with the white light illumination output; c) reflecting a portion of the white light illumination output from the test patch to form a white light reflected illumination output; d) receiving the white light reflected illumination output at first, second and third rows of photosensitive elements to form a first calibration data set; e) emitting a cyan light illumination output from the full width illumination source; f) illuminating the test patch with the cyan light illumination output; g) reflecting a portion of the cyan light illumination output from the test patch to form a cyan light reflected illumination output; and, h) receiving the cyan light reflected illumination output at the second and third rows of photosensitive elements to form a second calibration data set.

Spectral and spatial calibration illuminator and system using the same

System for using optical sensor focus to identify feature heights on objects being produced in a three-dimensional object printer

An apparatus including a control cylinder rotatably supported for thermal conduction to a sheet. The sheet conveys ink deposited on a first side. The sheet is held against a peripheral arch of the control cylinder as it rotates with the first side of the sheet directly engaging and wrapping around the control cylinder along the peripheral arch. The apparatus also includes a thermal control element for heating and/or cooling the control cylinder. The apparatus also includes a pressure roll for spreading the ink. The pressure roll with the control cylinder forms a spreader nip, which is selectively changeable between a closed and open position. In the closed position the pressure roll is biased toward the control cylinder for applying pressure to the ink on the sheet. The pressure roll is spaced further away from the control cylinder in the open position relative to the closed position.

Post-application ink processing and sheet handling

An apparatus adapted for presenting a sheet of media to an image transfer structure. The apparatus includes a registration baffle positioned in an offset relationship relative to the image transfer structure and a pre-transfer baffle assembly including a first baffle oppositely disposed to a second baffle, the pre-transfer assembly generally forms an 'S' shape and is adapted for guiding the sheet of media from the registration baffle to the image transfer structure. The pre-transfer baffle assembly is arranged in a first position adapted for guiding the sheet of media toward the image transfer structure at an angle of less than ninety degrees, and the pre-transfer baffle automatically begins rotation to a second position as the sheet of media reaches a pre-determined position within a paper path.

Translating pre-transfer baffle for optimized performance

Methods and devices print markings on an item in a first printing pass, using intended locations for the markings, to produce initial printed marks. Such methods and devices further scan the item after the first printing pass to detect actual printed locations of the initial printed marks. These methods and devices also compare the actual printed locations to the intended locations to identify the printing registration variation. Thus, such methods and devices change the intended locations for the markings based on the printing registration variation to generate corrected locations for the markings; and then reprint the markings directly on the initial printed marks a second time on the item in a second printing pass using the corrected locations for the markings, using the marking device.

Scanning previous printing passes for registration of subsequent printing passes

A method including: displacing a plurality of sheets through a defined portion of a process path; generating, using an encoder, a first number of encoder pulses associated with displacing a first sheet from the plurality of sheets along the defined portion; applying first indicia to a first side of the first sheet; displacing the first sheet through the defined portion; generating, using the encoder, a second number of encoder pulses associated with displacing the first sheet along the defined portion; calculating, using a processor, a ratio including the first and second numbers; applying second indicia to the respective second side of the first sheet or third indicia to the respective first side of a second sheet from the plurality of sheets, or fourth indicia to the respective second side of the second sheet; and adjusting, using the processor, application of the second, third, or fourth indicia according to the ratio.

System and method for dynamic measurement of dimension change for a sheet

An image registration system which helps to accurately produce an image onto an oversized media substrate in a large scale printer. The image registration system includes a rail support track, a printing zone, and a platen cart moveable along the rail support track through said printing zone. The image registration system also includes an image capturing apparatus for capturing a position of the media substrate in relation to the platen cart in order to ensure accurate image on media substrate reproduction.

Large sheet image on paper registration

A system and method are provided that employ an ink jet process to dispose a non-aqueous solid ink product on a flexible clear film layer as an image receiving substrate to create multi-layer tamper-evident closures including tape, wrapping, labeling, marking or sealing products, in which visual information is embedded. These processes provide manufacturers of the multi-layer tamper-evident closures ability to present variable image content in ways that would be difficult to counterfeit. The solid ink product undergoes easily observable image changes when it is twisted in a manner that creates a shear force between the layers.

Systems and methods for producing solid ink laminate security features

A process where substrates, such as documents like smooth coated papers, are exposed to a weak acid, a weak acid solution, or mixtures thereof for the purpose of increasing the surface roughness of the substrate.

Substrate treatment processes

A method of calibrating a printing system for positioning at least one printed image, the printing system includes a first image bearing surface, the method includes: a) forming a background pattern and at least three fiducials on the first image bearing surface, wherein the background pattern is larger than a first printed image and the at least three fiducials are within an area formed by the first printed image; b) transferring a portion of the first printed image to a second image bearing surface; c) measuring a first residual image on the first image bearing surface, wherein the first residual image is a portion of the background pattern and the at least three fiducials remaining on the first image bearing surface after the step of transferring; and, d) calculating at least one calibration parameter for the printing system based on the measuring of the first residual image.

Automated positioning of printed images

An inkjet offset printer includes at least one printhead to eject ink on a release agent applied to an image receiving member for subsequent transfer of the ink to the surface of a recording media. The release agent is applied to the image receiving member by at least two release agent applicators. The release agent can be selectively applied to process sheets of recording media of different sizes to improve print quality. Selective application of release agent to the image receiving member prevents release agent from migrating to a transfix roll, and subsequently to the back side of the media which affects the image quality.

Printer having drum maintenance unit architecture for controlled application of a release agent

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods and apparatus for sensing the movement of a moving surface by utilizing a plurality of reference patterns positioned on the surface, using the precision of the ROS Start of Scan Clock, and the uses of encoder and MOB sensors. The plurality of reference patterns are placed a known number of scanlines apart. The MOB sensor and encoder measure the distance between reference patterns. Increase accuracy is achieved by sampling the encoder signal with the ROS Master Clock and calculating a fractional encoder count at the first and last encoder counts of the measurement. The use of fractional encoder counts provides a speed measurement with greater tolerance for variations in encoder dimensions and belt thickness.

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Marion, NY, United States of America

Jonathan Byron Hunter